Prom, graduation, even senior skip day, are all part of the last hoorah experiences in high school.

But for many football players, getting a jump on their new life is more important than graduation night, girlfriends and garbage classes. Far more pressing is learning their new playbook, building relationships with coaches and getting to know their new teammates.

There’s also the desire to get on the field as soon as possible. They’ve enrolled in college a semester early, leaving their prep days in their wake while they pursue a higher calling.

Here are five of several January freshmen participating in spring football camp and could vie for significant playing time right away.

QB Gunner Kiel, Notre Dame:

A whirlwind recruiting season mercifully ended when Kiel committed to Notre Dame. He’d first made a pledge to Indiana. Then to LSU. When he switched to the Irish, LSU coach Les Miles didn’t let Kiel walk away without getting in a shot.

"We needed a quarterback in this class," Miles said then. "There was a gentleman from Indiana that thought about coming to the Bayou State. He did not necessarily have the chest and the ability to lead a program. Just so you know."

Sounds like a pity party from over here.

At any rate, Kiel took that punch and moved on. He’s already proving to be what coach Brian Kelly expected when he signed him.

Kiel worked on individual drills during the first day of spring practice Wednesday, while incumbent starter Tommy Rees, along with backup Andrew Hendrix, split repetitions with the first team. Everett Golson worked with the second-team offense.

Kiel has a chance, if he comes on fast, to supplant Rees. At the very least, he is being given every opportunity to claim the job, as Kelly hasn’t announced plans to keep the job in Rees’ hands. Kelly says he has stripped down the playbook so that Rees won’t have a distinct edge.

“We’ve kind of taken a step back and really looked at our offensive structure, and we’re going to make it so all four of the guys that are here can compete at a fair level, because Tommy has got, as you know, the best knowledge base,” Kelly told the Chicago Tribune.

What he doesn’t have is Kiel’s size and a rocket for an arm.

“He’s a very talented young man,” Kelly said of Kiel, per a WSBT-TV report. “He isn’t rated that way because he’s not. He’s extremely talented. And he’s got something that the other three quarterbacks don’t. He’s 6-foot-4. When you’ve got that size, it allows you to see some things.”

Kiel is trying to learn the Irish’s terminology. He’s getting comfortable in the system and isn’t looking too far ahead. But if he does, he’ll see Notre Dame playing Navy on Sept. 1 — in Dublin, Ireland. And if he looks even deeper, he might even be able to see himself taking the first snap.

RB Mario Pender, Florida State

Pender steps into the Seminoles’ backfield this spring carrying a heavy load, and it has nothing to do with the number of times he’ll be handed the ball.

In November, the gifted tailback from Cape Coral, Fla., was arrested and charged with battery and grand theft for allegedly hitting his former girlfriend and taking her car for the school day. The charges were dropped in January due to insufficient evidence.

It’s with that backdrop that Pender takes on a prominent role at FSU this spring. Last year’s leading rusher, Devonta Freeman, is out this spring with a back injury. Backup James Wilder Jr. is dealing with legal issues stemming from an arrest and charge last month of obstructing a law enforcement officer without violence and battery on the officer.

Because the Seminoles are thin at the position this spring—and because Pender was good enough to rush for 1,543 yards and 17 touchdowns (11.9 yards per carry) as a high school senior—they’ll look to the talented freshman to make a case for himself immediately. Freeman did the same thing when he enrolled early last January.

Just days into FSU’s spring workouts, Pender is delivering.

“I was shocked. He did a really nice job,” FSU coach Jimbo Fisher told the Tallahassee Democrat. “…A couple times you went, ‘Oh, who’s that?’ I was very impressed with what he did out there. I’m going to tell you what now, don’t give him green grass down the sideline. He’s got some cuts. He caught the ball well out of the backfield today.”

Pender has already put on 12 pounds and is now 6-0, 190 pounds. He’s stronger and appears built for the job.

LT D.J. Humphries, Florida

Let’s face it. Coaches don’t like putting freshman offensive lineman on the field. They usually aren’t strong enough and they almost certainly lack the football smarts to execute on the college level right away.

No longer able to bully smaller high school defensive linemen, freshmen offensive linemen are understandably given a little time to prepare for this level.

Then, there are tackles like D.J. Humphries.

The Gators’ offensive line was suspect, both mentally and physically, in 2011. Florida couldn’t run the ball effectively when it needed to and quarterback John Brantley was sacked 13 times. Humphries could be a quick fix.

The Mallard Creek (Charlotte, N.C.) star was rated No. 8 overall in the Sporting News Top 125 for 2012. At 6-6 and 277 pounds, he needs to get bigger. However, he is athletic and has great technique, both of which could hold him over until he gets the size and strength he’ll eventually need. On the spring depth chart, Humphries is behind redshirt junior Matt Patchan and senior Xavier Nixon, who has gotten up to more than 300 pounds in the offseason.

Fellow early enrollee, right guard Jessamen Dunker—SN 125’s No. 13 prospect—will also fight for a job and is currently behind redshirt junior Jon Halapio on the spring depth chart. Redshirt freshman Tommy Jordan is out for the spring with a shoulder injury.

“He’s a very focused young man,” Swinney told reporters. “He’s determined. He has already earned the respect of his teammates. Some guys just have that burning desire. He’s got it.”

Blanks is arguably the best athlete in this year’s freshmen class. He’s also included with those who are needed most in the short term. Last we saw of the Clemson secondary, West Virginia was running tire marks over the Tigers en route to a 70-33 Orange Bowl pasting.

Three of the team’s top cornerbacks are gone, so there are serious question marks in the secondary. Plus, Clemson was ranked 50th in the nation in pass defense in 2011. Free safety Rashard Hall is out this spring recovering from a knee injury. Strong safety Xavier Brewer is back, as is cornerback Bashaud Breeland. There’s little question that Blanks can work his way into that group, if not grab a job for himself.

DE Arik Armstead, Oregon

Oregon hasn’t begun spring practice yet (it starts April 13). There are lots of questions—including how the NCAA will deal with the Ducks’ violations.

And while there’s the matter of replacing LaMichael James and the like, there’s little doubt about an incoming freshman expected to make his mark the moment he steps on campus next quarter.

Arik Armstead, at 6-8 and 290 pounds, was the most coveted defensive line prospect in the nation. He committed to USC, then, like De’Anthony Thomas last year, switched to Oregon. The Ducks can only hope—and practically bet—that Armstead will have as much of an impact as Thomas did in 2011 as a true freshman. He could be the ideal replacement for Terrell Turner.